


a kiss just like a whisper

by silvergalaxy



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Accidental Relationship, Fluff, M/M, harry and niall are both so oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-01-03 16:20:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1072596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvergalaxy/pseuds/silvergalaxy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So," Bobby decides now is as good a time as ever. "When were you going to tell me about all this?" He waves his hand around. </p><p>Niall cocks an eyebrow. "What d'you mean?"</p><p>"When were you going to let me know that you and Harry were a couple?"</p><p>Niall chokes, his face flaming. "Excuse me, Dad, <em>what</em>?"</p><p> </p><p>  <strong>or alternatively, the five times niall and harry acted like a couple and the one time they actually were.</strong></p>
            </blockquote>





	a kiss just like a whisper

Niall first met Harry when he was four years old, at the local daycare. He remembers offering Harry his sparkly crayons to share, and Harry's dimpled smile and tiny voice saying thank you.

Niall remembers starting kindergarten with Harry by his side and playing goofy pranks on their mums together. He remembers them learning to play soccer in the third grade and he remembers in ninth grade when he and Harry got into their first big fight and didn't talk for weeks, and he remembers when they made up and stayed awake all night giggling under the hammock in Harry's back yard.

And he remembers when high school ended and they decided they'd share a flat when they moved out for university. He couldn't forget the skeptical looks his family and friends gave him when he told them, and now he found himself in Harry's passenger seat, driving across the country to their new home.

**(-5)**

A few weeks later, with their belongings mostly sorted out and their old photos framed on the wall, the pair were relaxing on their bed. 

The thing was, when they bought the flat, they hadn't originally given thought to the furniture they'd have to purchase, and the groceries that needed to be bought. During their budgeting process, Niall was the one who'd suggested they'd take the cheap way out and just share a bed.

"It's not like we haven't done it before," He had said, and Harry nodded his agreement, and the two went on and finished planning on how to spend the money down to the smallest penny. 

And at night when the apartment became too chilly ("College is expensive, okay, and heating isn't exactly easy to pay for either, Dad!") Niall lays himself half on top of Harry, revelling in his warmth and letting his steady heartbeat lull him to sleep.

**(-4)**

It was a sunny afternoon for once, albeit freezing cold, when Niall first sees the on-campus student coffee house. Immediately clasping his hand onto Harry's, he yanks the taller boy across the lawn and through the front door of the bustling shop.

"That hungry, Ni?" Harry asks, amused. Niall merely shrugs, joining the growing line, not letting go of Harry's warm hand. The two look at the displays of pastries and cookies and sandwiches and breathe in the nice smell of the foods. When it was finally time for their turn to order, Niall pulls Harry close to him, leaning slightly into his side.

"Hi, welcome to ESU coffee house, what will you have today?" The cashier asks sweetly, a practiced smile gracing her face.

"I'll just take a mixed berry muffin, thanks," Harry says, and turns, waiting for Niall to recite his order. When Niall didn't speak up, Harry nudges him.

"Oh, whoops," Niall laughs, nudging Harry back playfully. "Sorry, everything looks so good...could I have a French vanilla latte please? Also a macadamia nut cookie and that chocolate drizzled croissant!" He exclaims, pointing out the foods that caught his eye.

The cashier nods and reads out the final price, and Niall and Harry fish for their wallets. Niall however, seemed to be having trouble. He wriggles his hand around, and then looks sheepishly up at Harry with an apologetic smile.

Harry forks over the money for both of their food, squeezes Niall gently and kisses his forehead, and tells him not to worry about it, and that he doesn't mind paying for him.

That's they way their friendship has always been, with lots of affection and care that not too many people understood. The cashier was obviously one of the people who didn't understand, because when she arrives with the food, she also slides a pamphlet across the counter with a happy look on her face.

"This is just a memo from the Gay/Straight Alliance Group here at ESU. We don't currently have any couples enrolled, so if you guys showed up tomorrow night that would be so cool!"

Sputtering, Niall tries to correct her mistake, but the next customer was already pushing he and Harry to the side. Niall looks up to meet Harry's gaze, and notices his pink cheeks. Harry raises an eyebrow and Niall guffaws and tightens his grip on Harry's hand. It was cold outside.

**(-3)**

Movie night had become a bit of tradition every Tuesday in Harry and Niall's apartment. Depending on how much work Liam, Louis and Zayn had to do, they would occasionally pop over to join in on the movie watching. Tonight was the first night they had all been free in a while, and Niall and Harry didn't have enough sofas to fit everyone. 

"That's okay," Harry says from where he's sitting, and then pulls Niall onto his lap. Niall easily curls up, relaxing against Harry, completely oblivious to the exasperated looks Zayn was giving them.

The lights were turned off, and the other three boys find a place to plop down to start the film.

About halfway through _Secondhand Lions_ , they paused to prepare snacks. It only took five minutes for Niall to round up all the chips and treats in the house and place them in separate bowls before everyone trudges back into the small living room to continue their marathon. 

Harry reaches for the bowl that was placed close to Niall's side to munch on some Doritos, and on his way back up to place the chip in his mouth, he misjudges Niall's location and crushes the chip against Niall's nose. Snorting, Niall tilts his head way up to give Harry a questioning glare, but Harry simply shrugs and reaches for another Dorito and this time places it between Niall's parted lips. 

Chuckling quietly, Harry continues feeding Niall different candies and chips as the movie goes on. Maybe, he supposes, he should pay more attention to the actors on screen and less to they way Niall's lips move, but he can't bring himself to. 

"Oh, this is my favourite flavour," Niall stage whispers when Harry feeds him a sugared fuzzy peach. Louis turns around with a menacing look and shushes them.

"I know," Harry whispers back loudly anyways.

**(-2)**

When Greg gets married, Harry and Niall make the long drive home to attend the wedding. They show up to the celebration in wearing colour coordinated suits that have the rest of Niall's family cooing at them.

"Oh, I've missed seeing you two together," Niall's grandmother says happily, giving Harry a kiss on his cheek and hugging Niall tightly.

The ceremony was beautiful, and Niall has never seen Greg look more delighted. Later on that night at the reception, Denise makes her way over to their table where they were sampling the desserts.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asks, and Harry thinks she's going to tell them off for eating all the food, but instead she pushes them towards the dance floor.

"Well, go on!" She exclaims, and Niall finds himself tucked in close to Harry's chest with his hands covering Niall's small waist.

"How come you get to lead?" Niall grumbles softly, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders none the less.

"It's because I'm older," Harry says with a wink, and Niall scoffs in protest.

"Ok, Styles. You've been saying that since we were what? Six? And it's not even true."

"Oh well," Harry grins, and spins Niall around, and Niall laughs, letting Harry whirl him around until the early hours of the morning.

**(-1)**

It was nearing Christmas, and Bobby had promised Niall a few weeks earlier that he would come visit to help him and Harry with moving some boxes and furniture that they still hadn't unpacked yet.

He hadn't specified a date though, so when he enters their apartment one early Sunday morning, using a spare key Niall had given him, it was quiet and seemingly empty.

Poking his head through a few doors, he finally hears Niall's light snores. Peeking in, he could see him, head nuzzled into Harry's shoulder and swaddled in what was obviously Harry's sweatshirt.

He knew, of course, how close his son was to Harry, and Bobby had always called Harry Niall's "special friend." This, however, he wasn't exactly expecting to see. Come to think of it, he realizes, there are photos of the pair all over the walls and sticky notes stuck to the fridge with little messages for one another. 

Sighing, Bobby walks to the sofa and sits down, and wonders why on earth his son didn't mention that he'd started a relationship with Harry.

Niall pads out of the bedroom roughly forty minutes later with droopy eyes and tousled hair. When he sees his father sitting on the couch, his heart jumps in his chest, out of both surprise and delight.

"Dad!" He exclaims, trying to keep his voice down. "I didn't even know you were showing up today!"

Bobby smiles, and brings Niall in for a hug. They sit there on the couch and chat for a few minutes, before they grow silent.

"So," Bobby decides now is as good a time as ever. "When were you going to tell me about all this?" He waves his hand around. 

Niall cocks an eyebrow. "What d'you mean?"

"When were you going to let me know that you and Harry were a couple?"

Niall chokes, his face flaming. "Excuse me, Dad, _what_? We are definitely not in a relationship, why did you-" Bobby cut of Niall with a look.

"I walked into your room to see you cuddling in his clothes, you were each others dates for your brothers wedding, and you have photos of you two together covering every surface of the house. You dance and cuddle and I've even seen you kiss him before, Ni. And you live together. What am I supposed to think?"

Niall was left open mouthed and completely taken aback. "We do don't we?" He murmured, "We didn't even realize..." Niall trailed off, a confused look adorning his pink face. Bobby laughed, patting his son gently on the knee.

"I think you two might be the only ones that didn't."

**(0)**

In a not so surprising twist of fate, Harry was awoken by Niall's greeting to Bobby, and heard the entire conversation. He plops down next to Niall only a few moments later. 

"G'Morning," he mumbles as he gives Niall a hug. Bobby had gone into the kitchen, for which Niall was grateful.

"Please tell me you didn't hear any of that conversation," Niall whines in an embarrassed tone. Harry smiles a little and nods, and Niall buries his face into Harry's side.

"I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable or anything," he stammers, but Harry hushes him.

"It's not a big deal, Niall," Harry says, and Niall looks up in surprise, hope shimmering in his blue eyes. 

"Really?" Niall asks.

"Yeah, it's kind of true anyways, isn't it?"

Niall doesn't bother voicing his agreement, he just lurches forward to latch onto Harry's soft lips.

**(+1)**

Tuesday night rolled around, and Harry told Zayn, Louis and Liam to make sure they all showed up at his and Niall's place, seeing as they had a "huge announcement" to make.

Louis couldn't come though, as a result of some important exam he had in the morning, so Niall dialled his number and put him on speaker phone before he and Harry broke their news.

"Do you notice anything different?" Niall asks curiously, and Liam and Zayn shake their heads, while Louis sighs from the other end of the call.

"I can't even see you," His voice crackles through the receiver.

"Oh, right." Harry laughs, and kisses Niall on the forehead. "We, um, me and Niall, I mean, are together."

"Like boyfriends," Niall adds unnecessarily, and Zayn lets out a whoop while Liam brings each of them in for a hug.

"This is basically the biggest not-surprise of the century," Louis says, but his voice is happy and light. After speaking to him on the phone for a couple more minutes and explaining what had led to them being a couple, they hung up and started their movie night. 

Only after about fifteen minutes in, Niall laughs softly and Zayn and Liam turn around to glance at him and Harry. They were curled up in the corner of the couch, and Harry was playing with Niall's blonde locks while he whispered into Harry's ear.

"Nothing is any different than it was before," Zayn remarks, and Harry and Niall beam.

"It's really not."

**Author's Note:**

> this is also posted on my tumblr, bumblingniall! i hope you enjoyed it :-)


End file.
